Novel Targeted Anticancer Biomedical Materials and Devices：Synthesis and Controlled Release

Dear Colleagues,

Targeted drug delivery is a therapeutic strategy that develops platforms for the selective delivery of small drug molecules and therapeutic genes to cells of interest. Molecular strategies to develop such delivery systems vary to a large extent, but all utilize nanometer-sized entities or other forms of nanocarriers to deliver therapeutic payloads to their targeted cells. Different types of nanoparticles, such as polymeric, ceramic, carbon, metal, magnetic nanoparticles, micelles, polymer–drug conjugates, proteins nanocages, endosomes, viruses, dendrimers, etc., are being developed for various drug-delivery applications. The concept of nanotherapeutic delivery relies on the combination of three key mechanistic elements, each thought to play an essential role for efficient delivery: (i) specific cellular binding, (ii) intracellular uptake of drug-carrying nanomaterials by targeted cells, and (iii) controlled release of carried drug molecules in an active form. Thus, it is important that the third step, involving the release of drugs, should occur in a precisely controlled manner in order for the drug to display its biological activity in the targeted cell only. We propose a Special Issue to describe and highlight a variety of nanomaterials able to respond to physical stimuli (temperature, electrical, electrochemical, light, magnetic, and ultrasonic), chemical stimuli (pH, ionic, and redox), or biological stimuli (enzymes, glucose, and inflammation), which have been synthesized and developed as effective anticancer drug delivery systems. Stimulus-responsive nanomaterials are termed as ‘smart’, ‘intelligent’, or ‘environmentally sensitive’, and have greater potential than traditional delivery systems. Drug delivery in nanomedicine has served as a promising strategy for improving safety and efficacy profiles of existing therapeutic agents, which are otherwise associated with poor aqueous solubility, plasma instability, generally high toxicity, and serious side effects. It is anticipated that this Special Issue will bring together accomplishments of leading researchers with different expertise in functionalized nanomaterials, controlled anticancer drug release, imaging and in vitro and in vivo testing.

Prof. Dr. Maria Hepel
Prof. Dr. Katarzyna Kurzatkowska
Guest Editors

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• Targeted delivery
• Functionalized Nanoparticles
• Anticancer drugs
• Nanocages
• Magnetically Guided Drug Release
• Controlled release
• Temperature Stimuli
• Light Sensitization
• pH gradient release
• Electrochemical
• Synergistic Effects
• In vitro and in vivo testing
• Imaging
• SERS
• AFM
• Fluorescence